Located just 60 miles south of Anchorage and nestled between glaciers and towering peaks of the Chugach Range, is the port town of Whittier. Access to this tiny town is via a 2.5 mile long tunnel with the entrance of one side of the mountain and the exit on the other side. In 1941, the U.S. Army began construction of the railroad spur from Whittier to Portage. This line became Alaska’s main supply link for the war effort. Anton Anderson, an Army engineer, headed up the construction. The tunnel currently bears his name. On April 23, 1943 workers completed the spur, which consisted of a 1-mile tunnel through Begich Peak and a 2.5-mile tunnel through Maynard Mountain, thus linking Whittier to the Alaska Railroad’s main line at Portage. The tunnel has since been updated to allow for both rail and automobiles, one of the few that exist.

On arrival in Whittier, the town is not the destination, it is the gateway to Prince William Sound – Alaska’s best kept secret! We look forward to the opportunity to chat with you about the options to blow your participants minds in this enchanted expanse of land and sea!

Located just 60 miles south of Anchorage and nestled between glaciers and towering peaks of the Chugach Range, is the port town of Whittier. Access to this tiny town is via a 2.5 mile long tunnel with the entrance of one side of the mountain and the exit on the other side. In 1941, the U.S. Army began construction of the railroad spur from Whittier to Portage. This line became Alaska’s main supply link for the war effort. Anton Anderson, an Army engineer, headed up the construction. The tunnel currently bears his name. On April 23, 1943 workers completed the spur, which consisted of a 1-mile tunnel through Begich Peak and a 2.5-mile tunnel through Maynard Mountain, thus linking Whittier to the Alaska Railroad’s main line at Portage. The tunnel has since been updated to allow for both rail and automobiles, one of the few that exist.

On arrival in Whittier, the town is not the destination, it is the gateway to Prince William Sound – Alaska’s best kept secret! We look forward to the opportunity to chat with you about the options to blow your participants minds in this enchanted expanse of land and sea!